Instagram will become a $14 billion business for Facebook this year, analyst says (FB)

Instagram will most likely generate $14 billion in revenue this year and become an increasingly important driver for Facebook's growth, as the platform's core business is expected to slow, Jefferies analysts told clients Monday. The analysis highlighted the growing importance of Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp for the social network. We believe that Instagram is a material driver for growth in '19 and can grow 60%+ supporting core FB which could decelerate below 20%+ growth for the first time," a team of analysts led by Brent Thill said.